Drive mechanism for shedding disks



mllllh I 3 Sheets-s 1 ill!! I M. S. CURTIS DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SHEDDING DISKS Filed Nov. 9, 1949 INVENTOR. MYRDN 5. ELJR'Tzg BY Aug. 12, 1952 M. s. CURTIS DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SHEIDDING DISKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 9, 1949 INVENTOR. M ]REIN 5. EUR-n5 fl' fi r W115 HTTDR NE s Aug. 12, 1952 M. s. CURTIS 2,606,575

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SHEDDING DISKS Filed Nov. 9, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR- WHEN 5. E URTIE 5 "@1 v Mm:

HTTDRNEYS Patented Aug. 12, 1952 DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SHEDDINGDISKS Myron S. Curtis, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor I to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 9, 1949, Serial No. 126,431

15 Claims. (01. 139-55) This invention relates to weaving apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for forming selvage on woven fabrics.

Devices have been proposed for this purpose that embody one ormore rotating discs which act as auxiliary shed forming elements and which may be disposed at the edges or at any intermediate zone of the loom. The discs, by rotating intermittently,twist the selvage warp threads and so provide a firmly woven selvage. It has been recognized that continuous rotation of the shedding discs is objectionable in that it winds up or unwinds the selvage warp threads. To overcome this difficulty proposals have been made for mechanism for rotating the discs alternately in opposite directions. r

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive mechanism for the selvage guide discs which is simple, rugged and compact so that it may be readily applied to existing looms and will give 1ong,-tr0uble-free service.

Another object is to provide flexibility and ease of adjustment and control of the drive mechanism. More specifically, it is an object to permit the selection of a different number of turns for the two directions of disc drive; to provide for a dwell period between the rotation if desired; and, to accomplish these advantages and objects with the employment of only a single shaft or other drive means extending from the drive mechanism to the selvage guide discs.

Briefly, in the preferred embodiment of my invention the aforesaid objects and advantages are accomplished by providing a drive mechanism having two Geneva gears operatin alternately. The first gear is the output drive gear and rotates in either direction to drive the discs intermittently. The second Geneva gear operates shift mechanism and clutch apparatus for changing the direction of drive of the first gear. The second gear also includes what is in effect cam means of adjustable length so that the number of turns in either direction may be readily set and a dwellperiod may be introduced between reversals if desired. In the preferred form the adjusting of the control involves nothing more than the placing of a plurality of pins in holes formed to receive them in the second Geneva gear. It is a feature of the drive described briefly above that it is extremely compact, smooth-acting, readily adjustable, and adaptable to high speeds.

The manner in which the preceding objects and advantages may be accomplished will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of a preferred form of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in simplified form a loom fitting with the apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is -a view of the shedding or selvage thread guide discs; i

- Fig. 3 is a section on 3--3 of Fig. 2;

- Fig. 4 is .aside view of the drive mechanism with parts of the housing removed and parts brokenaway; I r Fig. 5 is a developed sectional view through the drive mechanism taken through the shaft centers along the irregular line 5-5 in Fig. 4 in order to more clearly illlustrate the relationship of parts;

Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the drive members for the output shaft Geneva gear; and,

Figs. 7 to. 9 are fragmentary views of the driving mechanismshowin'g various positions of the controlled Genevagear and various pin settings thereon. s

Referring to Fig. l, the warp thread [0 are run from the warp beam' H over the back rail 12 and through the warp stopmotion E3, the details of which form no part of the present invention. The warp threads continue through the heddles it and the reeds IE to the fabric H which is wound upon the cloth beam 18. Suitable bobbins 2! are wound with selvage threads 22 which pass over the back rail. and run parallel to the warp threads H] to the warp stop motion l3. Upon leaving the warp .stop motion selvage threads 22 run through eye's formed in shedding orguide discs 23' whereupon they pass through the reeds iliand form selvage in the fabric IT.

The guide discs23 are driven by a single shaft 24 which is in turn driven by the novel drive mechanism M, formin the subject of my invention. Mechanism M is driven with a continuous rotary motion by any suitable means which are in step withthe operation of the loom, For eX-- ample, the input shaft 26 may be driven by means of a chain Zllinked to main drive shaft 28 of the loom The details of the mounting and. drive to the mechanism M arenot critical and depend upon the physical nature of the loom to which it is fitted. The novel drive mechanism M includes in combination an intermittent shaft drive mechanism which may be of the Geneva gear type, for example; a reversing mechanism, and a second intermittent shaft drive'mechanism for actuating the reversin mechanism'inorder that the first intermittent shaft drive may run for fixed intervals of timeinone direction or the other. T e second intermittent shaft drive mechanism may also be of the Geneva gear type if desired. The reversing mechanism may be of the type having opposite rotating drive shafts with a shifting mechanism for causing alternative engagement of one or the other.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the discs 23 have guide eyes 3| and a toothed periphery 32 meshing with a single drive gear 33 mounted upon drive shaft 24 in any suitable manner.

Drive mechanism M can best be understood with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. A suitable housing 40 is provided in which is mounted the entire mechanism. The mechanism within the housing has two functions: First, it provides intermittent rotation of the output shaft 24 in either direction; and second, it has a control mechanism for alternately shifting the direction of the drive according to a predetermined plan. The intermittent rotation of the output shaft is provided by a first Geneva gear G and suitable clutch mechanism for driving'it in either direction. To drive the Geneva gear G the input shaft 26 has fixed thereto gears 4i and 42. Gear 4| meshes with an idler gear 43 on a countershaft 44. Likewise rotating with shaft 44 is an idler drive gear 45 which meshes with and drives the member 46 of a pair of driving members in one direction. The gear 42, on the other hand, meshes directly with the other member '41 of the pair of driving members to drive it in the opposite direction. Both members 46 and 41 have diametrically-opposed drive pins 48 and locking segments 49 for cooperating respectively with slots 50 in the Geneva gear G and notches 50a therein.

The Geneva gear G thus constitutes an intermittent shaft drive means adapted to have one or the other of the driving members 46 or 41 'lntermeshing therewith. The portions of the Geneva gear G including the slots 50 form evenly spaced meshing members with a predetermined peripheral spacing mating meshing members formed by the drive pins 48 on the drive members 46 and 41. Since the effective peripheral spacing around the drive member from one drive pin to the next or from one drive pin to the same drive pin in case one drive pin is used on each drive member, is greater than the peripheral spacing of the slots in the Geneva gear G; intermittent drive action is obtained when the Geneva gear G is in engagement with one or the other of the driving members 46 or 41. The drive pins 46 serve for engaging one or the other of the drive members 46 or 41 with the Geneva gear G and the locking segments 49 serve for maintaining the slots 50 disengaged and the Geneva gear G momentarily stationary.

The arrangement is such that when the Geneva gear G is in engagement with one or the other of driving members 46 and 41, one rotation of the driving member rotates the Geneva gear G through two arcs, each representing a one-sixth turn of the gear with a dwell period in between. In order to step up the intermittent rotation of the output shaft 24 by the Geneva gear G so that each arc of motion thereof turns the guide discs 23, through an angle of 18.0 degrees, a gear train involving gears 51, 52, 53, and 54 is provided, the shaft of the latter gear being keyed or otherwise connected to drive the output shaft 24 leading to the thread guide element.

The mechanism which changes the direction of rotation of the output shaft can be described as follows: The shaft to of Geneva gear G is slidably mounted in its housing and gear 5i merely slides along the wide gear 52 when shaft 66 carrying the Geneva gear G is moved. Since the drive members 46 and 41 are turning in opposite directions, the direction of rotation of Geneva gear G will be changed when it is shifted from engagement with the pins on one drive member and onto the pins of the other drive member. When the Geneva gear G is in its intermediate position (as shown) a locking disc 6| which engages the notches 5lla in the gear holds the gear against rotation. Thus, the sliding arrangement of the Geneva gear and the two members 46 and 41 cooperate -to act .as clutch elements for intermittently rotating the Geneva gear in either direction.

Control of the shifting of the clutch elements is effected by the second Geneva gear G1. This gear is in the form of a disc having radial slots 62 and intermediate locking recesses 63. As seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the driving pin 64 for gear G1 is mounted on gear driven by the input shaft. The shaft 44 mounting gear 45 is notched as at 66 to clear the Geneva gear G1 during its rotation and the full diameter part of the shaft enters recess 63 during the dwell periods thereof.

A .pivolted arm or cam follower 61 is mounted on the .pivot pin 68 supported in a boss 63a of the housing (see Fig. 5). It carries at its outer end .a shoe formed on a pin 69 which shoe rides in "a circular groove 16 in the sliding shaft 66. In order to move the follower according to any predetermined pattern, an outer row of apertures 12 are formed in the Geneva gear G1 and an inner row of apertures 13 are likewise formed therein. One Or more button pins 16 or spaced cam members may be placed in the outer row of apertures. similarly one or more button pins 11 or spaced cam members may be arranged in the inner row of apertures. Striker bolt 18, the tip of which serves as a cam follower, is arranged for engagement with the outer row of button pins and a similarstriker bolt 19, the tip of which also serves as a cam follower, may be engaged by the inner row of button pins.

It can be seen in Fig. 7 that when one of the outer-rowrof button pins 16 is in engagement with the striker bolt 16 on the follower arm 61, sliding shaft is moved to the left in the figures and the main Geneva gear G is driven by the pins mounted on the driving member 41. Conversely it can also be seen that when the inner row of button pins 11 engages the striker bolt 19 the follower arm pivots in the opposite direction and the Geneva gear slides to the right in the drawings to engage the pins mounted on driving member 46, thereby turning it in the opposite direction. The gearing is timed so that the shifting action resulting from Geneva gear G1 takes place during the dwell period of Geneva gear G.

The pattern of the selvage weave may be varied by changing the number and position of the button pins. For example, in Fig. 4, eight button pins are provided in each row with the pins in both rows being in radial alignment. With this arrangement the guide discs 23 will make eight half-turns in one direction followed by eight half-turns in the opposite direction with a dwell period between each turn. However, if shorter button pins 16a and 11a are arranged as in Fig. 9 so that they contact both the inner and outer striker bolts on the follower arm simultaneously the gear G is shifted to its neutral position as seen in Figs. 5 and 9', and will remain there so long as both sets of shorter button pins engage their striker bolts. By placing more button pins in one row than in the other, the number of turns in one direction may exceed those made in the other direction. Thus, it can be seen that the control arrangement provides a high degree of flexibility with a maximum ease of adjustment.

The mechanism adapts itself to a compact arrangement because the shafts of the various gears can be arranged roughly in a circle, as shown in Fig. 4. The shifting device or shift mechanism of the reversing mechanism, including the pivoted arm 6'! and parts operatively connected thereto and the control thereof are both simple and compact, and because the drive mechanism for the main Geneva gear G also acts as a clutchapparatus the device operates smoothly and may be run at high speeds. The construction of the selvage guide disc is simplified because, despite the advantages of flexibility of control made possible with the drive mechanism of my invention, only a single shaft is required to drive the guide discs.

Having completed a detailed description of my invention it will be apparent that various modifications thereof may be made without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: g

l. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, gearing between said shafts comprising intermittent shaft drive means for said output shaft, means for driving said intermittent drive means comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, clutch means forralternately connecting said intermittent drive means with said pair of drive members, shift mechanism for said clutch means, and shift control means driven by said input shaft for oscillating said shift mechanism, said gearing being timed so that said output shaft drive and shift control means move alternately, said intermittent drive means having meshing members with a predetermined peripheral spacing and the drive members each having a meshing member mating the meshing members of the intermittent shaft drive means with an effective peripheral spacing exceeding that of the meshing members of the intermittent shaft drive means.

2. Mechanism for driving selvage forming thread guides of a loom comprising an input shaft, a single output shaft for driving the thread guides, gearing between said shafts comprising intermittent shaft drive means for said output shaft said intermittent shaft drive means being formed with portions adapted to be engaged by said drive members, means for driving said intermittent drive means comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, said drive members carrying means adapted to engage said portions of said intermittent shaft drive means, means disengaging said engaging means, clutch means for alternately connecting said intermittent drive means with said pair of drive members, shift mechanism for said clutch means, and shift control means driven by said input shaft for oscillating said shift mechanism, said gearing being timed so that said output shaft driv and shift control means move alternately.

3. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, gearing between said shafts including a Geneva gear for driving 6 said output shaft, means for driving said Geneva gear comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions byfsaid input shaft and carrying pin means for turning said Geneva gear, clutch means for connecting said Geneva gear to either of said drive members, shift mechanism for said clutch means, and shift control means driven by said input shaft for oscillating said shift mechanism, said gearing being timed so that said Geneva gear and shift control means turn alternately.

4. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom comprising an input'shaft. an output shaft for driving the thread guides, gearing between said shafts comprising intermittent shaft drive means for said output shaft means for driving said intermittent drive means comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, clutch means for alternately connecting said intermittent drive means with said pair of drive members, shift mechanism for said clutch means, second intermittent drive means driven by said input shaft, cammeans on said second drive means, cam follower means for oscillating said shift mechanism, said gearing being timed sothat said intermittent drives turn alternately, each of said intermittent drive means having meshing members with a predetermined peripheral spacing, said mechanism includin meshing members on drive members cooperating with said intermittent drive'means for mating the mashing members of the intermittent drive means with an effective peripheral spacing exceeding that of the meshingmembers of'the intermittent drive means. j 1' 5. Mechanism for drivingthread guides of a loom comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the, thread guides, gearing between said shafts comprising intermittent shaft drive means for said output shaft, means for driving said intermittent drive means comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, clutch means for alternately connecting said intermittent drive means with said pair of drive members, shift mechanism for said clutch means, a Geneva gear driven by said input shaft for controlling said shift mechanism, cam means driven by said Geneva gear, a cam follower connected to said shift mechanism, said gearing being timed so that saidintermittent shaft drive and said Geneva gear turnalternately.

6. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, gearing between said shafts comprising intermittent-shaft drive means for said outputshaft, means for driving said intermittent drive means comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, clutch means for alternately connecting said intermittent drive means with said pair of drive members, shift mechanism for said clutch means, Geneva gear means driven by said input shaft for controlling said shift mechanism, said Geneva gear means including a disc having two concentric rows of holes, pins positionable in said holes, a cam follower connected to said shift mechanism, said cam follower including a pivoted arm and means on said follower on opposite sides of said pivot for engaging said pins, said gearing being timed so that said intermittent shaft drive and said Geneva gear turn alternately. l

7. Mechanism for driving thread guides f0 a loom comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, a Geneva gear operatively connected to said output shaft and havn 'drivingslots, means for driving said Geneva ear comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, said members mounting drive pins, said Geneva gear being slidably mounted between said drive members, second Geneva. gear means driven by said input shaft, said second Geneva gear means in-' cluding a disc having two concentric rows of holes, Pins positionable in said holes, said mechanism including a pivoted arm, means on said arm on opposite sides of said pivot for engaging said pins, means connected -to said pivoted arm for shifting said first-named Geneva gear, said gearing being timed so that said Geneva gears turn alternately.

-8. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom comprisingan input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, a first Geneva gear connected t said outputshaft and having driving slots, means for driving said Geneva gear operatively comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directionsby said input shaft, said members mounting drive pins, said first Geneva gear being-slidably mounted between said drive members, second Geneva gear means driven by said input shaft, shift mechanism for said first-named Geneva gear with operative connections for causing engagement of the first Geneva gear with one or the other of the said oppositely means and said first Geneva gear turn alternately.

9. In a loom, thread guide disc means rotatably mounted in said loom, mechanism for driving said thread guide means comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, gearing between said shafts comprising intermittent shaft drive means for said output shaft, means for driving said intermittent drive means comprising a pair of drivemembers driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, clutch means for alternately connecting said intermittent drive means with said pair of drive members, shift mechanism for-said clutch means, and intermittent shift control means driven by said input shaft for oscillating said shift mechanism,

said gearingbcing timed so that said intermittent shaft drive means and shift control means turn alternately, each of said intermittent drive means having meshing members with a, predetermined peripheral spacing, said mechanism including meshing members on drive members cooperating with said intermittent drive means for mating the meshing members of the intermittent drive members, with an effective peripheral spacing exceeding that of the meshing members of the intermittent drive means.

10. In a loom, thread guide disc means rotatably mounted in said loom, a'gear for driving said disc means,-mechanism for driving said gear intermittently in alternate directions comprising an input shaft, a single output shaft extending between said mechanism and said drive gear, gearing in said mechanism for connecting said shafts, said gearing including first intermittent drive mechanism for driving said output shaft intermittently in either direction, second intermittent drive mechanism drivenjby said input shaft, means connecting said secondintermittent drive mechanism to said first intermittent drive mechanism for reversing rotation of the latter, and means timing said intermittent drive mechanisms so that they operate alternately, each of said intermittent drive means having meshing members with a predetermined periphery spacing, said mechanism including meshing members on drive means cooperating with said intermittent drive means for mating the meshing members of the intermittent drive members, with an effective peripheral spacing exceeding that of the meshing members of the intermittent drive means.

11. Mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion to intermittent rotary motion in alternate directions comprising an input shaft, an output shaft gearing for connecting said shafts, said gearing including first intermittent driven mechanism for driving said output shaft intermittently in either direction, second intermittent drive mechanism driven by said input shaft, means connecting said second intermittent drive mechanism to said first intermittent drive mechanism for reversing rotation of the latter, and means timing said intermittent drive mechanism so that they operate alternately, each of said intermittent drive mechanisms having first and second intermeshing gear means, the first of which has spaced meshing members with predetermined peripheral spacing and the second of which has a meshing member mating the meshing members of the first gear means, with an effective peripheral spacing exceeding that of the meshing members of the first gear means.

12. Mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion to intermittent rotary motion in opposite directions comprising input and output shafts, 3, Geneva gear operatively connected to said output shaft and having driving slots, means for driving said Geneva gear comprising a pair of drive membersdriven in opposite directions by said input shaft, said members mounting drive pins, said Geneva gear being slidably mounted between said drive members, second Geneva gear means driven by said input shaft, said second Geneva gear means including a disc having two concentric rows of holes, pins positionable in said holes, said mechanism including a pivoted arm, means on said arm on opposite sides of said pivot for engaging said pins, means connected to said pivoted arm for shifting said first-named Geneva gear, said gearing being timed so that said Geneva gears turn alternately.

13. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving the thread guides, a Geneva gear operatively connected to said output shaft and having driving slots, means for driving said Geneva gear comprising a pair of drive members driven in opposite directions by said input shaft, said members mounting drive pins, said Geneva gear being slidably mounted between said drive members, second Geneva gear means driven by said input shaft, said second Geneva gear means including a disc having two concentric rows of holes, pins positionable in said holes, said mechanism including a pivoted arm, means on said arm on opposite sides of said pivot for engaging said pins, means connected to said pivoted arm for shifting said first-named Geneva gear, said gearing being timed so that said Geneva gears turn alternately, said pins being positionable to shift said arm a plurality of times during one revolution of said second Geneva gear.

14. Mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion to intermittent rotary motion in opposite directions comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, gearing for connecting said shafts, said gearing including first intermittent drive mechanism for driving said output shaft intermittently in either direction, said intermittent drive mechanism comprising a driven member with a portion thereof adapted t be engaged, at driving member with'means for engaging such portion of the driven member and means for disengaging said members, a second intermittent drive mechanism driven by the said input shaft, said second intermittent drive mechanism also including reversing mechanism for said first intermittent drive mechanism, and driving connections between said second intermittent drive mechanism and said reversing mechanism for intermittently reversing rotation of the first intermittent drive mechanism.

15. Mechanism for driving thread guides of a loom, comprising an input shaft, an output shaft for driving thread guides, reversible intermittent drive means interposed between said input and output shafts including reversing mechanism with a movable control element, and an intermittent drive mechanism of the Geneva type interposed between said input shaft and said revers- 10 ing mechanism control element for causing said output shaft to run for predetermined periods of time in a given direction.

MYRON S. CURTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

